Wax gourd (scientific name: Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.), also known as white melon, pillow melon and gourd, is an annual climbing herb of Cucurbitaceae. Wax gourd originated in India and China, and is widely planted in tropical, subtropical and temperate countries and regions in Asia.

The main roots and lateral roots of wax gourd are developed. The stems are trailing, green and hairy. There are nodes on the stem, and tendrils are attached to each node. Leaf blade palmately petiolate and densely covered with white hairs. Wax gourd flowers are unisexual, monoecious, calyx bell-shaped, with 5 petals, 5 stamens, 3 stigma and lower ovary. Fruits are diverse in shape. The pulp is white. Seeds nearly elliptic, flat, yellowish white.

Wax gourd habit:

Wax gourd likes temperature and heat resistance, and the optimum temperature for growth and development is 20-30℃. Wax gourd belongs to short-day crops and likes light. Wax gourd is a crop that needs more water, and it is suitable for planting in sandy loam and clay loam with good drainage, deep soil layer and water and fertilizer conservation.

Wax gourd fruit is rich in nutrients, with high contents of vitamin B and vitamin C. It is a typical vegetable with high potassium and low sodium, which has high edible value and medicinal value, and can be used to make a variety of delicious food and new wax gourd food.

In addition, wax gourd is a good raw material suitable for modern agricultural products processing, and it is also widely used in the field of medicine, with high economic value.